The Cousin
by 8cheshirekat
Summary: [YuGiOh! GX][Lyman BannerOC] She's a girl without a real past and a great deal of knowledge on the Keys, but what's her connection? & can Jaden and the gang rescue the princess in distress?
1. The Begining

..._takes deep breath_ for those of you, not naming names, as i find that rude, who don't know my writing style or me, i resent all your flames! just because it's a "cannon" thing, doesn't mean that i should listen to every single word you hear! and i do apologize for acting like a jelous person, but that's because all rude comments i've ever gotten on my works are usually because people either don't like my style, are jelous that i'm better than them, or that i'm cuter... and i don't think i'm cute for a sixteen-year-old teenager who just loves to write. but if you think i suck at writing, then fine, go visit me at http/www.enginowaruikoto. and see what else i've writen. now, i'm going to make revisions to these chapters, so forgive me if i start doing odd things. _breaths_...

i also want to make it ABSOLUTELY clear, that i'm getting irritable on the way you people act. it's like i'm a piece of meat everyone wants to chew out. you all jump to conclusions and didn't let me finish. it's like i cut your works in half so no one can understand it. now, please give me a chance witht his fic. thank you.

* * *

(Lyman Banner/OC, Chazz/OC, AU because Lyman isn't dead yet) A new student arrives at DA, but with trouble hot on her heels as she brings to life the duels of the two greatest duelists, Yugi Moto and Seto Kiba, but with cards never seen before. But when she falls for one of her teachers, trouble worms it's way into the depths of their souls as the Guardian of the Key Holders and the 2nd Key Holder begin to battle for the sake of an academy that one loves and the great reality of the other's world. Will her teacher and her new found friends help her? Or is she in this alone?

* * *

It's what you call a sad day for her, as if she were completly lost. Perhaps this is what you call "A day that can't get any worse" for someone who might be having a great day. But she hasn't had a "good day" since she was thrown out of her "parent"s house for having a dueling deck under her pillow and a Duel Academy Recomendation from almost all the teachers. She had loved the way it felt when she dueled and her heart was set free, out to wander the realm of fertility and praise. 

For this young girl, a day that would last forever in her mind, was the day everyone decided to throw her down the trash chute, like the trash they thought she was... The very first day she had come to Duel Academy to test for the entrance exams... She remembered the young boy beside her, his head bent low over his work, his entire soul being poured into his exam. She remembered, at the end, the boy beside her stood up to reveal himself as Chazz Princeton, the duel prodogy of his own little world, untouched by the harshness of reality, being sheilded from the world by his academic skills.

She couldn't shake the feeling that she had once met him, when she was younger... when she had her brother beside her...

"Hey!" It was Professor Lyman Banner and his cat, Pharaoh, under an umbrella in the rain. "Shouldn't you be in your dorm, young lady?"

She was indeed a "young lady" at this rate. Her long, black hair clung to her arms, body, and face. Her eyes were shaded a dark blueish color and seemed to give her an air of mystery. Her uniform was dyed yellow of the Ra Dorms. Her chest was nearly flat and her curve was almost like an hour-glass on a black widow, a perfect curve. Her skirt was laid over a pair of dark blue jeans. She turned to her teacher.

As it was, she didn't have the money to own an umbrella as there was no money left in her name. She stared, with her blank stare, at Banner, her eyes sliding down to his cat, whom was purring and seeming to smile at her with an air of laughter. She looked back up at her teacher and gave a soft sigh. "Professor Banner," she said in greeting and gave a slight bow.

Her books had been stashed in her dorm that she shared with no one. She was drenched, from head to toe in rain and her uniform was begining to become soggy and heavy and her shoes were begining to feel very uncomfortable with her wet, muddysocks. She stood up straight again. Around her left wrist was a golden bracelet with the name "Haruka Tenoh Kaiba" engraved into it with a beautiful Alaxandrite set beside the name on either side. On her right wrist was a black ribbon to hold her hair up with.

He walked up to her, holding the umbrella over both their heads. "Shouldn't you have an umbrella?"

"I would, sir, had I any money." She looked up at him with her sad look, her eyes begining to water a smidge. "I-I'm sorry, sir. I had to go to work earlier. I'm sorry I missed your history class this morning! I really wanted to go! But I need the money to pay for my room and schooling! The principal won't let me get in cheap! I have to buy my way into--!"

"Hush!"Banner put his hand on her head. "Not to worry. I know plenty of students who got a free tuition from me. I can lend you some money to buy an umbrella for the next time it rains." He smiled warmly. "As for skipping class, please, do be ready for a quizz on Yugi and Seto tomorrow. We will be going over a few of their most important duels."

She dropped her head. "Yes, sir." She sounded glum as she said this.

Banner stared at her in shock. "What's the matter? Usually, your very exited to talk about Yugi and Seto. Is something the matter, Haruka?"

"Ah? No... Yes."

"Can you tell me?"

"Sure... I suppose."

"If you can't, then can I at least offer you some shelter from the rain?" Banner smiled and held his hand out to her, Pharaoh climbing up, into her arms. "I'm sure you can make it just a few more feet, yes?"

"Erm..." She looked down at Pharaoh and sighed. "I'll come, but then I have to go, an quickly, so as rumors don't start on your behalf, sir."

"I beg your pardon! I am NOT that old!" Banner sniffed.

"Sorry. Professor Crowler always makes me call him sir and I've just gotten so used to it that it's become second nature. I'm sorry, really, I am." She dropped her head again and scuffled her foot. "I don't mean to say it like you are old, but it was purely an accident, sir--I-I mean professor."

"Ah, now that makes me sound like something out of a sci-fi show." He smiled. "Come inside, out of the rain."


	2. The First Day

---_cafeteria, breakfast_---

She was sitting by herself, quietly talking to herself, muttering about studying. She was seated at a table no one ever sat at because it was the "new student" table. She still didn't want to sit with any of the girls from the Ra dorms because they didn't seem to be very nice to her because she was an odd looking girl.

Haruka noticed some of the Obelisk boys staring at her and looked them in the eye, giving her fake smile, like she always did, and went back to her scratched up notebook that held all her notes for her history class. Although she wasn't new, she was treated like the new girl who didn't know her way around. Haruka heard squealing behind her and looked around and saw Pharaoh, Banner's cat, seated between two girls and was being petted by the two girls and admired by a group of really young-like girls.

Haruka shook her head and got up. She took a look at her schedule and sighed, scratching her head. "Who's Professor Crowler?" She felt like screaming and ripping her schedule into small pieces... but she couldn't because she needed it. "How is a new girl to find her place in a place where people judge you by your skills or money? And how does one find Crowler's classes when these schedules don't give classroom numbers?"

"Perhaps one should graduate faster so one won't have to deal with the confusion." It was Lyman Banner. He looked a little more tired than he had the day before. She didn't want to upset him, so she just smiled. "I'm sure that Crowler won't like it that his new student is skipping out on class. Let me see your schedule, please."

For a few moments, he just looked at her schedule and then up at her. "Some of these classes aren't for someone from the Ra dorms. Most of these are Obelisk teachers. And you have a Slifer teacher for History. Why is that? Why don't you have any classes with all Ra dorm teachers?"

"Ah, so someone will help me figure that one out... and he's invisible." She sighed and looked up at him. "But I'd like to know why I've been put in mix-and-match classes, Professor Banner." She suddenly noticed a smidge of blush on his face and looked away. "Am I really that embarassing to talk to? Or are you just embarassed that such a dorky girl can outsmart her own colligues?"

"Er... both." Banner gave a weak smile. "You'll find Crowler's class, no problem. It'll stand out because he always leaves the door open when class is in session." Banner gave back the schedule.

--_headmaster's office_---

"So, the newest eddition to the Ra dorm was a good idea. But to put her in those classes and in that dorm right off the bat may be a bad idea." The headmaster was talking to himself, deciding. "But if we don't fix that problem, we may have to have _her_ duel in Princeton's place if she proves better than the teachers. Ah, Crowler, if you can gauge her power with her deck, we can all have this school saved from being sabatoged."

The headmaster looked up at the door. His eyes gleamed with a strong glow.

"She might have acctually have been the apprentice of Yugi Moto if she can beat everyone, even lucked-out Jaden. I wouldn't be suprised if she does beat all the teachers. Ah, now I'm rambling on. I had better get Lyman set for his duel after Crowler. Then we'll see who's power gauge is stronger, Kaiba's or Banner's."


	3. The Lie?

i have HAD it with this! she's gonna die, don't worry about that! my god! she's gonna die, be dead, not breath, be limp, however you wanna put it, she's gonna die... and the reason is because i wanted her to die, but now i think i'll just let her live. this chapter was SUPPOSED to be the chapter were she dies... but it looks like she'll live until the next chapter at least... oh, and change of plot, she'll be a cousin of the Kaiba brothers from when they were younger, before they got adopted into the Kaiba family... so the braclet will be explained later.

* * *

---_Duel Academy's main duel arena_---

She stood stock still. Why was it she was always dragged into things? She looked around and hoped someone would shoot her in the head so she wouldn't have to humiliate herself infront of the whole school... and no one answered her plea, they all just stared back at her, and she felt like she should be dead...

Banner had bailed at the last second and was seated in the stands with Jaden and Chazz, not paying that much attention to the duel, since he was assuming her opponent would be able to beat her. He smiled at Jaden.

"I don't thinkthatRa girlis gonna be ok... She does seem to be nervouse..." Jaden said, looking down. "She's probably gonna loose! That'd be awsome to see a Slifer kid kick a Ra kids butt all over the place! Dontcha think, Chazz?"

Chazz stared down at Haruka. "She does look familiar... how long has she been here?"

The duel started.

"She's only been here two or three days." Banner gasped when Pharaoh hopped up into his lap. "Hi there, Pharaoh." He began petting his cat and he smiled again, thinking of something. "She was in the rain on her first day. I'm sure that she's got _some_ skills in order to be accepted here at Duelist Academy... Come to think of it, she's got an odd name for a girl." Banner smiled as he watched Haruka loose her first five hundred life points. "Or, maybe she was just put her to distract us from reality."

"More like distract you," Chazz and Jaden said in unison watching their teacher.

Crowler smiled. "That no-name girl is going to be put in her place now!" He was gleeful about this whole thing. "I hope she goes away soon! I'll be sure to be sorrowful for a while when _this_ girl leaves, that way it looks convinsing! Hee hee! Then I'll just have her come back after a year or two of her being gone... what a wonderful plan this is."

Chazz stared at Crowler. "Er, what'd you have in mind, exactly?"

"That's what I'd like to know," Banner said, his voice stern. "She does have talent, or esle, why is she here?"

"She acts like a brat! And look at that attire! She wears jeans underneath her skirt! That's outragious! Not to mention breaking the dress code, severly, and she comes to the boys dorm and walks around like she's a boy! It's unnatural! And she seemes to have befriended you quite a bit, Banner."

Banner suddenly smirked. "Just admit it, your jelous of her. She may be more talanted than you, she may be more prettier than you, she may even be better at giving lectures than you, so you can admit it, your jelous, and I won't keep hanging it over your head..." '_All and all, I'd rather try and keep out of it._' Banner watched as Haruka lost another thousand life points. He gave a soft whistle. "She's down by almost two thousand life points! Not very good a duelist if you ask me. Makes me wonder, what talent did the headmaster see in her?"

"Perhaps it's because she may have lied about her last name. Could that be it?" It was Alexis. "I think she lied. There's _no_ way Kaiba had any siblings. I mean sure, they have the most advanced technology, but they also have a lot of people who use them as a way of getting waht they want. I mean, sure, she's got the look of Mokuba Kiba, but is she really a Kaiba?"

"Who knows. But her bracelet says that she's a Kaiba..."

Crowler sudden gasped. Everyone looked at the duel arena. Haruka had drawn Exodia... With a little monster on the side that was just sitting there. At first, they all thought that it looked like the Celtic Guardian, but it was the Graceful Charity. She granted Haruka three cards, to which Haruka looked baffled and then upset. She quickly brushed it away and put down two cards.

Banner and Chazz whistled. "She's got Exodia."

Alexis sighed. "I bet she stole that."

Jaden laughed. "I bet she did! I mean, I thought Yugi was the _only_ one with Exodia! I bet she stole it from him!"

Haruka lost the duel when her Exodia was destroyed. That was when it was revealed. She had put a spell card that masked her monster and put it on the Mystical Elf, who made her loose the duel. Haruka simply smiled and took the blow like it was nothing, while in her head she was screaming '_How the h-ll'd I loose? Did that really just happen? F-ck-ng h-ll! I can't believe I lost!_' She shook her opponents hand and stepped down, ignoring the headmaster.

"Definately a sore looser." Alexis commented. "I bet she's a sourpuss because she lost... I bet she'd never be able to hold her own in a brawl. No _way_ she's related to the Kaiba brothers. I mean, I think Seto could hold his own in a fight, she doesn't seem to be the kind who can hold her own ina fight." Alexis crossed her arms. "She acts like a brat. I agree with Crowler, she should get a taste of her own medicine if she keeps lying through her teeth like that!"

"Lie through my teeth?" She was around the corner, listening to them. She had been standing there throughout Alexis' speach. "So now I can label myself. I'm a liar..." She sighed and dropped her head. "Why does everyone hate me? Or should I just stop fooling myself in thinking my name is really 'Kaiba'? But they said that my blood matched theirs..." She lifted up her bracelet. "Or am I really just some by-product? Am I real? Can't someone shoot me in the head so I don't have to deal with all this? I know no one will hear me because no one listens to a by-product like me..." She sighed and shook off her tears. "I'm not even a good duelist, what am I, of all people, doint in a place like this?"

Banner walked around the corner and stopped. In his shock, he almost dropped Pharaoh. "Haruka!" He smiled. "Not very good at dueling are we?"

She dropped her head. "No. I really suck. I can't even figure out how to use half the cards they gave me." She looked at her deck. "They said it was the exact deck for me and my personality... but I suck." Her head dropped. She raised her hand. "No, don't say it. Don't say 'Well, you can do better', like everyone else says." She dropped her hand. "Just admit it, I suck."

"You don't suck, you just need practice."

She looked at him. "I hate you."


	4. The Mystery Pt 1

this is not really irritating anymore because i realized something... a person who's been reviewing (not saying name because there are several of them...) has pointed out a few things that irritate me but are correct. i would just like to ask you, don't keep reviewing, please? i'm trying to finish this fan fic, but it doesn't help my situation any when you automatically put down my idea. i did say she was going to die, and she is going to, ok? but i'd like to know if you write any fan fiction so you can experience how hard it is to _not_ write a Mary Sue into a story... i'm not mad at you, i'm acctually glad your critisizing me, your slap across the face repeatedly is annoying, but it also made me realize things... if you can, PM me or e-mail me ok? arigato gozimasu!

---_flashback_---

"Haruka! Stop being such a pig and get off that swing!" It was the orphan that had come from a rich family and was now dead poor because of the funeral. She hated Haruka because Haruka was an orphan from a really poor family.

"But there are other swings..." Haruka said, pointing to the five other swings. "I just want to be left alone."

"HARUKA TENOH'S BEING MEAN TO ME!"

Haruka flinched at the sound of her name. She hated it. Why'd they have to give her such a crappy name? Her cousins would walk by occasionally, but she wouldn't ever talk to them. Her cousins were brothers and she missed having a family that cared, but she loved to see them as brothers, talking happily to each other, acting like brothers should. She wanted to have a sibling she could be proud of, but there was no sibling she could be proud of because they were all killed in a shooting at her house that killed the three cats, the parrot, the four dogs, her older brother, who would have been finishing collage, her little big brother, who would be starting his junior year in high school, her older sister, who was starting middle school, and her mother and father.

She saw them coming and her eyes widened. They looked so sad. Her eyes followed little Mokuba and she saw he was on the verge of crying. They were taking a walk, but it looked like they were in a horrible place. Haruka simply watched them walk past with their guardian. She just stood there at the fence watching Seto and Mokuba pass. It was then that she saw a man watching the two brothers, his black hair was shading his face as he cleaned off his glasses. Beside him was an average sized cat with black stripes on it's brown fur.

He waved at her and she waved back, reluctatly. She was reaching out to pet his aproaching cat while he sat there at the bus stop, watching her.

---_end flashback_---

'_Your a by-product._'

'**No, I'm human!**'

'_Your memories are all fake. Gozuburo Kaiba _made_ you from DNA taken from both of the boys he adopted. Your not real, you have no place in this world. You don't deserve Lyman's heart. He'll die soon. You saw it that day at the bus stop, didn't you?_'

'**No! Go away! I love him! I'm real! I'm their cousin... I know I am!_'_**

Haruka suddenly turned as she heard a knock on her dorm door. She stared at it and heard another knock. "Yes?" She opened the door and was shocked. Chazz stood there, his arms crossed. "Chazz, is something wrong?"

'_Your a by-product, you're not supposed to care._'

"I was just curious, how'd you get into Deulist Academy with such low skills as yourself?" Chazz stared at her. "Or is it because your name's Kaiba?"

'_Your a by-product, you don't even remember your real name._'

"That's probably why. They think I may be related to the Kaiba brothers." She gave a weak smile while she screamed '**I'M REAL! I know I am...**'

'_Ah, but chan you prove that?_'

"I don't suppose your leaving, are you?" He looked around her at her bags, neatly packed, and the bare walls of her room. "I'm sure that you can stay, you just may have to work your way back up there."

She suddenly went really close to his face. "Your not Chazz. Who are you? What did you do with Princeton? Where did you come from? How did you get cloned? When did you replace Princeton? Why are you bothering me?"

"I AM CHAZZ, YOU BUTT-HEAD!" Chazz hit her across the face. "I'm real enough to know where I stand with all these other people! I hate people like you. They think they rule the world! But they don't because their to stupid to rule the world. Ya hear?"

'_Even he agrees, your not real. Your a by-product, meant to take someone's place._'

Haruka just sat there and took Chazz's blow like it was nothing. She stood up and slammed the door shut. She was leaving, yes, but not in a car, or just walking away, orbiking, or hitching a ride. She was waiting for someone. She was awaiting her death. If she really was a by-product, no one would miss her right?

---_flashback_---

"Haruka Tenoh Kaiba, you are now the sole thing that stands between pure evil and the gates to this world, since monsters from the Shadow Realm and humans of this world seem to be fighting over everything, you must keep track of the Keys that were distributedtwo years before we adopted you. If you die, so does the hope of those who hold the Keys. Most of them won't have the Keys when they meet you, but you can't fall in love either, understand?"

Haruka smiled happily at someone. The face was dark, so she couldn't make out who it was, but it was defiantely a woman. She nodded and smiled brightly and she ran into the woman's arms and hugged her tight. Haruka felt a cold chill run down her spine. She turned and saw that same man with the black hair, glasses, and his cat. The cat jumped on Haruka and started to play with the girl. The man smiled and walked up to the woman.

Haruka memorized the man's face. He was so beautiful, smooth skin, silky hair, a beautiful voice... she wanted a husband like that, one that would always have that beauty that this man had. But Haruka had seen him nearl four years ago, so why did he look exactly the same?

---_end flashback_---

Haruka didn't understand anything anymore as she dragged her stuff out of the dorm and left the key by her head of the Ra dorms' room and walked down the pathways, exploring the parts she'd never been. She walked past Banner and Pharaoh. Banner was reading a book and Pharaoh jumped up and followed her.

She stopped and crouched down and petted him, her eyes seeming to finally have life in them. "Hi there. I think I've seen you before, Pharaoh... did I? I can't remember any more. I'm just a dumb person without a dream." '_Well, a dream that won't come true, no matter how hard I wish for it._' She continued to scratch Pharaoh's ear with her free hand and saw Lyman coming over and she quickly stood up and straightened out her shirt and picked up her bag. She gave Banner a soft smile that lit up her face and she turned around and left him standing beside his cat.

"Pharaoh, why are you following her? You know we can't accosiate ourselves with her anymore. We can't follow someone so pure of heart like her with our sinned hearts, so, she's _way_ out of our leauges."

All of a sudden, there was a loud CRACK! that split the air like lightning and shocked everyone outside and some people in nearby dorms threw their doors open and everyone saw her blood splatter everywhere as she fell to the ground, a bullet hole piercing right through her "pure" heart.

Banner dropped his book and ran to help her, as did several other students. Banner ordered one of them to call the nurse or the doctor at the school. He looked down at her. She just kept her eyes closed, unable to look him in the eye. He gently made her sit up and stared around for the person who had shot her.

He saw them. They had the KC printed on their hat. He glared at the assasin and saw the assasin stand up and was nearly shocked half to death. The assasin was Seto. He gave a quircked smile and disappeared. Lyman didn't understand, but he ignored it for now as he picked her up to take her to the Hospital Ward they had at the academy.

'_Your a by-product._'

* * *

and so ends the first part of the death sene!... hopefully, this will make up for the Mary Sue i did, by mistake... if not, i'll just have someone stab her repeatedly in the Hospital Ward... _evil smile_ i'm sure i'll think of something to make up for Mary Sue... in the end... thank you for reading this... somewhat demented fourth chapter... _evil smile_


	5. The Mystery Pt 2

The hospital ward was full of people that were just in there for the usual check-ups. Chazz and Jaden were the first two from theSlifer dorms that were being checked-up on.

Banner stood on the side, supervising. He was doing his best to ignore the close bed behind him. They were still trying to get the bullet out of Haruka's chest. He smiled kindly when he saw some of the students staring at him with curiousity.

Alexis was peeking around some of the other students and sighed. There was _no_ way she was going to have a check-up with a male nurse again. She was eager to get this over with so she wouldn't have to deal with all the fuss of it later. She was edging past everyone and fell against Jaden, and the two of them collapsed to the ground infront of Banner.

"Hello." He smiled down at them. "I'm sure your both in a hurry, but please, no pushing." His smile faded when he saw something. The two on the ground looked the way he was looking and their jaws dropped. It was Seto Kaiba... In person.

His short brown hair was combed out neat, just like it always was, and his long trench coat was sweeping out behind him. Right on his tail was Mokuba, who was dressed in a suite and tie. He smiled and waved. "Hi, everyone!"

The students that were crowded in there all turned and cleared a pathway for them. Seto started walking forward, and Mokuba followed, his pace falling in line with his brother's step. He was carrying a metalic breife case, meaning Seto had buissness to attend to. Mokuba put the case down next to his brother and went into the secluded area. Seto and Banner stood in akward silence.

Being shorter, Banner felt the most uncomfortable. He simply stood there, watching students come and go with the five nurses and three doctors that were doing check-ups. After about the tenth student, Mokuba came back and he looked pale. Seto knelt down. "What's wrong?"

"Sh-she looks like me." Mokuba clung to Seto. "She's not real, is she?"

Banner went over and moved the curtain aside. His jaw almost dropped. The bullet was out, and it was a long bullet, meaning that she'd been shot with an iron spear-like bullet that pierced close to her heart. Looking at her, her hair out of her face, she did, indeed, look like Mokuba, only feminin.

Mokuba was hiding behind Seto when the brothers came in. Seto was taken aback. He stared at her for a moment and then he remembered something. "Mokuba, go get the case. I need some samples from her to see if Banner was right."

"I don't think I am, ahem." Banner smiled. "I hope I'm wrong. If she really is related to you, what should I do? After all, your the one who shot her. Should we just kill her?"

"Wait a few hours after I get the samples." Seto stared at her. "My stepfather mentioned experimental humans to me when I was still young. At first I thought it was his little jokes, but he did mention that there was a phsycic one that was able to predict things and one that was able to talk to people using her mind. I didn't acctually think they were real. If I'm correct, she's got my DNA, as well as Mokuba's, mixed just right to make it seem like she's related to us."

Mokuba came in, stumbling because he didn't want to see Haruka again. "H-here." He hid behind Seto again when Haruka twitched. "Who is that?" he asked Banner, his voice was shaking, but his eyes showed that all he was feeling was fear.

"Her name is Haruka Tenoh Kaiba."

Seto and Mokuba looked at each other and then at Haruka. Seto shook his head and took the samples, which included: the bullet, her blood, hair, saliva, and skin samples, the bloody shirt that she had worn when she got shot, and the bracelet with the name printed on it. He turned to Mokuba, who was standing there. He handed Mokuba the bracelet.

"Well, is that all you need?" Lyman was hoping to leave Haruka's side. "Please say that's all..."

"Yes."

---_two days later_---

Seto was seated at his deks, slamming away at the keyboard, searching all the old data Noah had left behind. Somehow, that boy had managed to cling to the computer on the blimp when they left that island. So the boy was able to access files that were locked to Seto and Mokuba.

Seto's hands froze. Mokuba stared at his brother. That look on Seto's face was incredible suprise. Seto's hands came to rest on the cold wood of the desk. He smiled as his head fell back. "So, I guess he didn't bluff." Seto smiled again, a maniac smile. "She's a clonewith the image of our cousin but mixed with the DNA of us. She's also mentally psycho."

"So she's like our sister?"

"In a sick, demented way," Noah said.

Seto had forgotten to tell Mokuba about Noah's transfer, so the boy was panicing and screaming for joy at the same time. "Was that Noah? Big brother, do you think he's ok? Noah?"

Noah started laughing. "Aha... M-Mokuba... ha ha... I-I'm ok... pft-HA!" He kept laughing and he appeared on Seto's flat-screen TV, wiping tears from his eyes. "Phew." He straighted himself up and smiled. "I think I remember one of those clone things. She wouldn't stop talking about this handsome Homunculus that she thought was really nice and seemed to be really, extremely cute to her and that's what drove her mentally insane." Noah breathed. "But why'd you go and shoot her? She was a really nice person to begin with."

Seto had a vein popping. "Our family spent all their money on the funeral for our grandparents and were unable to support any children, so all the children were sent to orphanages. For that reason alone, I hated my entire family that didn't stand behind the idea of us staying because of some financial problem." Seto stood up. "Do you remember her original name?"

"She was originally a he, but the he turned into a she when it got Mokuba's DNA." Noah went into his thoughtful state. "I think she was one of the first children to be sent to an orphanage when Gozoburo made her... So I think she was the one named Iris... or was it Eperiment 7756? No, no, it wasn't that... AH! I remember now! Haruka Tenoh Kaiba was Eperiment 1134! She was acctually taken from the dead body of Haruka Tenoh, the cousin of yours that was... shot... through the heart."

"That's it, she's dead meat!" Seto slammed his fist into the desk as he said these words. "I don't care what she is, where she came from, she's dead! Dead, dead, _dead_!"

---_Haruka's bed, in her head_---

'_Your a by-product. You aren't real. All these images aren't yours. They belong to me. This body belongs to me. Give me back what you stole, you theif. Give it back to me!_'

'**I don't understand... What have I done? I want to have memories of my own! This isn't your body any longer! It's mine! I have it now.**'

'_You love someone who will _never_ love you. You are something that he can't have. You are something he will never love._'

Banner looked around him. Was he hearing voices? He felt Haruka's hand twitch beneath his. He stared at her and almost yellped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned and saw Seto standing above him, a gun in hand. He stared at the gun and then up at Seto, curious. "Seto, sir?"

"Shoot her. She needs to die. Kill her, now!" Seto put the gun in Lyman's hands.

"I can't!" Banner pushed it back.

"Do it!" Seto pushed the gun against Banner's chest. "Or is it that you love her?"

"No!" Banner felt something grab his sleeve. He looked and saw Haruka's eyes were watering.

'**I know you can hear me. Just do it. I'd rather not be Expiriment 1134. Seto knows that's what I am. That's why I have to die. You kill me, Haruka will be alive again. Please, just do it.**' The hand slipped and Haruka's eyes watered even more. '**I want to die, die a peaceful death. Just shoot me in the head and get it over with.**'

Banner felt his hands shaking. Why was he so nervous and scared to kill her? He didn't harbor emotions for her, he didn't love her, she wasn't his daughter, so why was he shaking?

He squeezed the trigger, closing his eyes tight and turning his head away and--

BANG!

* * *

from this point forward, it will be different, trust me _smile_ see, now she gone, so no more mary suies! _smile_ unless i may have over done it some... but the numbers will be explained soon enough 


	6. The Truth

ok, ok, so that's not _exactly_ how it went down, but i can say this much, it did go down as she died. hi there, I am Haruka Tenoh... no Kaiba at the end... see, the thing is, i thought i was _dead_, as in non-exsistant, non-living, not breathing, not moving... ya know, dead. any how, it went down more of a--

---_the day of the shooting, that is told in truth_---

You can't help it, but this gut feeling is telling you that there's something wrong... something just doesn't _feel_ right. But you decide to pack your things up and leave, leaving behind all that would have been. You sit there, staring at the blank wall, thoughts running through your mind, such as: Where should I put the key? Where would I be able to go? Am I real? Does this place really have a place for drop-outs like me to work?

You hear that soft knock and think it's only your imagination. Who would want to come see you. You stare at the door, your face is as solid as stone and won't budge. You hear that knock again and you get up, feeling the tingling in your toes from sitting on your feet for so long. You ignore it and open the door. You look up to see Chazz, his black hair dripping from all the sprinklers going off on the pathways and his white and blue uniform was also dripping wet. He had his arms crossed and you noticed the Key around his neck. It was almost like looking at some angry bull that was about to trample all over you.

"Haruka, I need to talk to you. Can you come out here?" He sounded a smidge irritable.

You follow him outside, leaving the door open a crack. "Yes, Chazz?" You stand beside him, your hair falling around your shoulders as you undo the ponytail. "Did something happen to you?"

"Erm, you see, there are these guys, their here to tear down Duelist Academy and they want to duel a student-teacher pair and everyone agreed that you and Lyman would be doing it." Chazz's eyes remain cold as you stare into them. You feel a shudder at the sound of a duel with Lyman. "If either of you loose your life points first, before the other, they intend to take you instead of sending in the demolition crew. Also, you can only duel with fourty-five cards and you have to have a deck master." Chazz walked away.

You look over your shoulder at your backpack and stare at the front pocket, where your cards are set neatly. You have that urge to play the duel, but you lost in your last duel... so why would this one be any different? Besides, Lyman would probably do better with Jaden or Syrus... Well, what's the harm in trying again?

'_But you can't! A by-product can't duel like you do! You suck!_'

You feel the rage build up at the sound of that voice and you snatch up you bag and arange your deck, sucking misserably in picking the best monsters for a duel...

---_later_---

Lyman wasn't so sure he should have bailed like that, but one of the newer teachers was really looking forward to dueling with a student against two opponents, so he was trying to duel alongside you. Lyman simply sat in the stands with Pharaoh. He waved to you and you feel your heart rocket up to your throat and you simply wave, no smile or anything.

The duel began. It was your move, so you draw. The cards you hold Graceful Charity, Graceful Dice, Pot of Greed, Jar of Greed, Mystic Elf, and Dark Necrosphere. You sigh and start. "I place this card face-down and activate Pot of Greed on me and Jar of Greed on Professor Jericho." You two draw the required cards. '**I suck... Not a good card to boot yet.**' You look up. "And I'll end my turn on that draw." You stare at your cards. The card you drew was your Dark Magician... a card you couldn't use just yet anyways. You look up as you see a monster coming at you. Yup, you suck big time. You already lost one thousand and twenty points.

Jericho played his cards. You were loosing points and he was still in the clear. Why? Why had he put all the attack damage on you? Was he really thinking that you'd be better as a guine pig than a duel partner? That _wasn't_ how double duels go! This ticks you off severly and you glare evily at him and he smiles at you. What was so funny?

"My draw." You draw a card. Mystic Box. You look and then sigh. You put Mystic Elf in defence mode and put down another spell/trap card. "End of my turn." You wait for it. You know that they hve four monsters and yet, you deliberately taunt them. You know your loosing... but you still want it to be over with, just to forget the pain that and agony of this defeat you were being handed.

Slowly but surely your down to four hundred life pointsand loosing fast. Jericho sucks, and he seems to be not caring about what your thinking or what your doing or what your saying. You look over at Jericho and he's starting to panic and you sigh heavily. '**Now he worries. What's with this guy?**' You see that he's up by a thousand life points, since everyone, except him, has four hundred life points and he has fourteen hundred life points. '**This guy's mentally insane. That, is definately a fact.**'

You draw a card, knowing that your going to lose with it. It's a Kuribo. Your holding Kuribo, Dark Magician, Pikeru, Celtic Guardian, Spellbinding Circle, and Curse of Dragon. Your deck sucks big time and it's to late to turn back. On the feild you have Graceful Charity and Monster Reborn, neither of which will help you any. You sigh and prepare to loose the entire duel and your place at Duel Academy.

You decide to play Graceful Charity and that doesn't help you all that much. Now you have even weaker monster such as The Calligrapher Goblin and the most useless card you've got, Prematureal Burrial... neither will help you in this duel at that moment, but you were definately dead. You send Kuribo to the graveyard, hoping to just leave him there and play your Monster Reborn to sacrifice Kuribo and your Curse of Dragon to summon Dark Magician and that's all you could do.

On the other side of the feild, they've got two monsters each that could kill you in no time at all. You decide to just give up, since your deck seems to suck so horribly. Soon, you find an attack coming at you and you soon find that you've lost what little life points you had left. You fall to your knees in relife of the fact that you won't be humiliated anymore in front of the school and in sorrow at the fact that you lost all grip on this whole ideal of dueling becoming your life.

They come over and pick you up, dragging you over to the edge of the arena. You lost your own life and now belong to someone you've never met before, and yet, you know that they'll do something nice to you... eventually.

You watch as Jericho beats the two of them in one fell swoop and wins the duel for DA's saving. The demolition of this school was saved, thanks to a no-name teacher who stepped up to the bat. You smile. At least the school will be saved for the sake of the rest of the year and for the time being, until it was time to replace it.

That's it. You are now in the hands of two buissness tycons who are dragging you away, not giving you the chance to stand. As you pass him, You see a tear fall down Banner's face and you feel the pitty swelling up in your chest. You let down someone who you loved who was expecting so much more of you. You look away and start to follow them, jogging to keep up with their brisk pace with longstrieds.

'_Your a by-product, what did you expect? You can't ever be a normal girl nor a normal person. Don't expect pitty for a copy-cat._'

* * *

ok, ok, this is what you call Second Person POV. i decided to make up for the Mary Sue as best i could, so, i decided to put the reader into the story... might not work as well as i want it to, not like it'll be that big a deal when i delete some parts... and i think it's sucks because i'm used to writing from third person POV, so forgive if it's all weird for you to read... 

anyhow, i'm sure you guys will still say it sucks, but then, why are you reading this fic if you think it's sucks? is there a really good reason you read something so stupid to you that you keep have to keep reading it? it makes me think i may be good and i may be bad... but, i've learned to control my anger out-put because i remembered something... if you think something is bad, there's no good reason to hide it, i mean, it's good advice to keep the younguns from loosing interest... I NOW ACCEPT YOUR "PRAISE" OF WORDS ON HOW HORRIBLE I AM WITH EVERYTHING I HAVE/AM! and it doesn'tmake me angry for that reason.


	7. The True Face

(**a/n**: i know i said haruka "died" but she didn't "die" yet. she will either be saved or killed, it all depends on how the story progresses... so, the thing is, haruka is still alive, but only because someone was telling the story wrong... and she didn't get shot, yet, she will by the guys who just got ownership over her. but no worries... i'm suprised people acctually like Haruka that much _swetdrop_)

---_A few days later_---

'_A by-product, that's all you are. You aren't real. You were _never_ real._'

That voice wakes you in the late hours of the night and you suddenly feel that chill running up your spine and you shudder. The cold room they've left you in is filled with nothing but cold. A cold stone floor that's been worn and is dusty and dirty and walls that absorb all the heat and give off a colder chill than the floors, and with just one window, there is hardly anymore room to decorate on these uneven, dirty, grimy, spider-infested walls. The bed is uncomfortable and has barely anything beneath it, save for four, little stubs for a bed frame and it's awfly uncomfortable at night when you just want to rest.

This is the price you pay for being a by-product? This is the price _you_, of all people, have to pay for in the end? Why? What was so horrible about your realetively short life? You know that you are still in love but... how long will that love last? Will that one you love ever come and thaw your frozen hart? But your a by-product, so there's no way that you should be in love, right?

You hear the door creak open behind you and feel a rush of warm air. You turn around to see Seto Kaiba standing there. He's glaring down at you and you glare back, with interest, unable to control what you feel towards this human being that's been holding back a heart of stone. You know he hates you, you know he looks down upon you for what you are, but you still resent his ways of treating you.

"What _are_ you?" He asks it with such horror and anger that you flinch lightly and then stare him down. "Answer me!" His voice is commanding you now. You still don't answer. He grabs the front of your shirt and lifts you off the ground and punches you across the face, anger flaring up in ever inch of his face as he continues to punch you.

You can feel blood filling your mouth, filling it until it's overflowing. Your eyes widen and you suddenly grab his fist and knock him on the side of the head, you can feel his grip faulter as he takes the blow full-on, and yet, you hit him again, and again, and again, until he drops you and you swing low and crack him in the gut. You feel him choke and double over. You catch him. "I don't know. If I knew, I would have told you. Truthfully, I was hoping to be dead by now..." You gently set him down, letting him catch his breath. You sit down next to him and rest your head on the bed behind you. "Could you possibly tell me who I am? Do you know where I may have come from? Because, truthfully,I don't remember ever being a child. I only have bits and pieces of memories of being a kid... I remember seeing you and another boy a few years back. I remember being at an orphanage, just not a clean one. I remember seeing these people in my head that I didn't know." You look at him and he stares back.

"I didn't know you at all." He's out of breath. "I'm sure there's a plausable explination as to why you even exsist. No one exsists for nothing. That was something Mokuba once told me when I thought of suicide. Perhaps the same applys to you?" Seto looked baffled and scratched his head. "Mokuba's a nice kid, maybe you can learn something from him."

'_You, the by-product, can't be real, so there's no way anyone can help you._'

You cover your ears and scream; "I'm real! How else am I here? How else can I remember?"

"Sometimes, remembering isn't always the best thing." It's Mokuba. "Seto has an appointment. I'll stay with her for a little while, nii-san." He smiled and you see why Seto would want someone like that to talk to someone like you.

You watch Seto rise to his feet and stare at his back. Somehow, you remember a white coat.

---_flashback_---

The lab was filled with a soft green light and bubbles were rising around you. You can't figure it out, but someone's back is turned to you and you can see the white lab coat. He suddenly sends a shock down the cords attatched to you. You wrethe in pain and scream, releasing a bounty of bubbles over your head. Your white shirt and pants are stained with this green liquid and you can feel blood coming from the depths of your ears to turn the water a brownish color.

---_end flashback_---

Your eyes widen and you cover your ears and scream again, this time, just screaming, tears coming for the first time that you can remember as he closes the door and you feel Mokuba's small hands touch your head. You look up into those blue eyes and you feel a sudden surge of joy that makes you stop crying and he wipes them away. He smiles. "I remember seeing you before. You were turned into a Homunculus."


	8. The Tear

(**a/n**: this is going to be an explination of the numbers and the homunculus stuff... _smile_ so please try to enjoy this as much as i think you can and i'm really sorry if it's still utterly confusing _swetdrop_)

---_Mokuba's POV, flashback_---

He stood there, looking up into those sad eyes. He reached up and touched the glass. The light that illuminated the test tube gave off an eerie glow. Her sad face looked unbarably sad for a moment before she closed her eyes and Mokuba felt a sad feeling in his stomache that felt like it was permanent.

"So, you found Expiriment 1134?" It was Gozoburo.

Being so little, Mokuba was scared stiff, so he quickly backed away from the tube and slid over to stand beside the consol.

"Don't be frightened. She wanted to find a new life, so I'm giving it to her. Expiriment 7756 was a failure, as he went wild and rampid and died. We're trying to find a way to revive a soul's dead body, so these expiriments will be tested to test endurance with the soul's re-entry. Your big brother is also helping by mapping out the ecuations." Gozoburo turned and smiled at Mokuba who took a step back and hit the consol. "There's nothing to fear. They were lifeless and useless to begin with. There's no harm in destroying one life in order to bring back another."

---_Haruka's POV, end of Mokuba's flashback_---

"And that's why I remembered the numbers. They were burned onto the back of your neck. nii-san told me that he was only writing the equations for the genetics of something called a homunculus that didn't even exsist." Mokuba pats your back softly. "I was frightened of what he was doing to the poor souls who screamed every night in the Kaiba mansion, so, naturally, I was scared silly by the sound of them and got curious." He smiles.

You stare at him for a moment and the hide your face in your arms as they rest upon your knees. You can't help but feel utterly saddened to know that all your memories were fake, that they were indeed telling you that you were a by-product of some expiriment, that you were never a living being...

A tear falls down onto your knee and you are suprised by that. You bring your head up and realize that you could cry. Just as Mokuba reaches out to touch your shoulder, there's a comotion in the hall and gun fire. By instinct, you block Mokuba as the door is blown open and you're staring down the barrel of a pistol that's aimed at you.

Without warning, it goes off and you realize something more. Life itself is always the most important thing to a living being. You are alive, so you should live your life the way you want... But how long is life? How long is a moment to be alive?

You feel the cold concrete and hear Mokuba's screams of rage at these men and Seto's insults as you see the soft yellow glow of dawn breaking through the door as the chaos continues...


	9. The Expiriments

(**a/n**: there's a thing people call a "curse word" that's acctually a "place name", so, erm, I SORELY APOLOGIZE BEFORE HAND FOR ANY SORT OF MISUNDERSTANDING THAT MAY ARISE! _swetdrop_ so, i'm not to sure if i did it right by not changing the rating, ha ha, sorry... _weak smile as she prepares for the bombardment of vegetables_...)

---_DA_---

You slowly come-to and realize your in the Hospital Ward of Duelist Academy... and you can feel a presence nearby that seems to be relatively calm. You slowly turn your head and feel the oxygen mask over your face and you gasp, your body seeming to go into a frenzy and you try to pull the mask off and feel a warm hand touch yours.

When you look to the owner of that soft hand, you realize it's Lyman, his soft smile on and you feel your face flush bright and you gently pull your hand away from your mask and look into that beautiful face, your heart racing.

"Please don't remove the mask, Haruka." He slowly releases your hand and sits back down beside you. "I'm terribly sorry if it's uncomfortable, but you did a noble thing, protecting the young Kaiba like that. He's very thankful that you were there at the time and saved him so, he gave you this." He held out a winged card. It was Graceful Charity. "He says he wants you to get well soon and he loved this card for the kind actions you performed."

The door creaks open and Zaneis reveiled, a very evil look on his face. He stares down at you, his eyes colder than ever before and he reaches down and grabbs your arm, dragging you to a sitting position. "What's the matter with you? You protected another person's brother and you don't even stay awake long enough to make sure he's not harmed? What's the meaning of this?"

"I-I..." You faulter as you see that spirit in his eyes. "You would have tried to protect your brother the same, wouldn't you?"

"How did you know I had a brother?" Zane looked utterly baffled.

"I also know you have a key." You reach up and touch where his heart lies. "But your key is always so protective of your feelings so that you won't allow your brother's emotions? Someone who holds a key shouldn't be so sad." Your breath hitches and you begin to cough up blood into the oxygen mask and you rip it off and see the red liquid staining the pure, white sheets. "M-Mokuba got hurt?"

"Yes." Zane hits you hard on the hand. "You didn't answer me!"

With a sigh, you look at him, wiping up the blood. "Nothing. I was loosing blood, I couldn't stay consious enough to protect him anymore. The meaning of this is because I wasn't able to stand up again when I fell down. The thing is, Zane, no one, I repeat, no one, has ever stood up after being shot in the leg and gut the same way I was. Two shots would kill most people, I was lucky to have just fainted! Being shot by a gun isn't as easy as you claim it in your mind! I tried! But I don't understand _why_ I tried! I don't even understand why I'm here or why I can sense keys." You begin to cry. "I don't understand anymore."

"Lyman!" It's Crowler. He glares at you and stands next to Lyman. "The Shadow Riders want us to duel them in exchange for souls and for the Academy! They request that all those with the Keys come to the Duel Arena, as soon as possible!"

You begin to rise to your feet and you feel an sudden shudder run up your spine and you look at Lyman seeing that he had felt it as well. You look at Zane and Crowler and see that they haven't felt it, not even a small bit.

Crowler and Zane stare at you and then run off, leaving you with Lyman. You look up at him and see that he's also conserned, meaning it's not only you. Slowly, you stand up straight and you hear Lyman behind you make a soft noise, like a cough.

You turn to him and he smiles. "You have the spirit of a fighter, Haruka Tenoh Kaiba."

You look away, rage filling every crack of your soul and you clench your fist, leaking blood from where your nails dug in and you feel that sting, reminding you of what you really are. "M... my name is not 'Haruka Tenoh'. My name is Expiriment 7734. I am an expiriment of chaos and destruction. I'm not Haruka! Haruka's dead!"

Lyman rises to his feet as you close your eyes by those last words and wait for him to punch you, just like everyone else did when you spoke your real name. You hug yourself, preparing for that dreadful pain of the back of someone's hand or the bottom of their shoe to hit you, but nothing comes. You open your eyes in time to see him close his arms around you.

"An expiriment? Perhaps. But you still act and look like a human being. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be better than what we were meant to be." He pats you on the head. "Feel up to dueling with me?"

"Yes?" You feel his hand grab your hair gently and tug. "What?"

"Is that any way to answer your teacher?" He looks comedically heartbroken. "Why don't you change cloths and I'll wait for you outside."

"Professor!" You grab his sleeve before he leaves. "My numbers. I'm Expiriment Hell. My other half, he... he's supposed to be Expiriment 4537. Like me he was given a name... I remember that much... his name is Lyman... it can't be you, can it?" You know it's hopelesse, but you still try.

"No." He says it regretfully. He gently moves your hand away. "True, I am a Homunculus, but I was made from the original. That's all I can tell you."

"Lyman is supposed to help me calm myself, and, you see, I'm always calm and collective when I stand beside you so, I guess I'm a hopeless romantic." You gently tug the curtains closed around your bed and sigh, feeling those tears again.

'_Yes, yes! A by-product isn't someone who can fall in love! Lyman's heart belongs to someone, there's no way you can tear his heart from the one or the thing he loves, no matter how hard you try!_'

---_Banner's POV, just outside the Hospital Ward's doors_---

Was that right? I was made from my originator's genese and I was given his soul, but, surely, it wasn't possible for me, of all people, to be that expiriment she spoke of, was it? I mean to say, it's not like I was born this ordinary... right?

My head hits the wall when I hear her hit the door. I quickly open the door for her and I feel my pulse quicken once more. She is beautiful, but then, why was she always so beautiful to a monster like me? Does she hang around me because she loves me? Or because she just wants me to feel better? It's hard to know anymore, but I can say this; I think I'm falling in love for the first time since my short life began. And it's a wonderful feeling in my gut and heart, but for how much longer? How much longer can I feel this wonderful feeling...

---_Haruka's POV, Duelist Academy Main Duel Arena_---

You stand there, staring out at the duel arena that will be occupied in a few moments by duels... You know you couldn't ever win, so you decided against dueling with Lyman, but you would still fight the stand-in duel that the Shadow Riders had arranged.

You hear a soft cough and turn around and see Lyman standing there. At first, you just look at him and then you come over and climb off the arena and stand before him. You look into his soft face and you see worry staring you back, mixed in there is a smidge of rage and anger that he's trying to conseal, but not so well.

"Is something wrong, Professor?" You reach up to touch his shoulder for comfort and he brushes it away. Your eyes widen and you feel something horrible coming from him... And here it came--

"Why don't you want to duel with me? Am I really that horrible to you? Am I really that much older and more experienced that you feel that embarassed by me? Why?" He looks at you with a worried and raging look. "If you hate me that much, why do you even bother sticking around a person like me? I hate people who _always_ think that I'm to embarassing to be around! I hate when people pretend to be my friends and think that they'll get something out of me!"

You can't say anything to that, since that's all people think your out for. Your head drops and you feel your body begining to act on it's own as you reach up and grab Lyman's collar and start to constrict him and you feel a rage from years of suppression begin to arise as he kicks you hard on the side, trying to make you let go. With a shock, you come back to reality and release him just in time. He lands on the ground coughing. You back away, looking at your hands, like you always did, looking at them like they were the hands of a murderous monster that was that voice in your head. You collapse as you realize that you really _are_ Haruka Tenoh and that the voice isn't, it's Expiriment Hell... But, the person you love doesn't even like you.

You want to cry...

You want to scream...

But there's nothing you can do anymore, Expiriment Hell has opened her eyes to the world around you and is ready to kill the thing most presious to you, kill the person you hold dearest to your heart. You feel the cold test tube water rising up around you and you suddenly see the world turn black and you know that you'll never see the end of the stand-in duel with Lyman you hold...


	10. The Shadow Game Pt 1

(**a/n**: this reverts back to third person POV, m'kay? _smile_ ok then, onward!)

---_Duel Arena, Lyman vs. Shadow Rider_---

Lyman was loosing the duel to this person, this Shadow Rider. Haruka was seated behind Lyman, watching his back with her evil look, her eyes seemingly black like something horrible.

Lyman was about to be blown out of the duel when Haruka released her Mirror Sheild and deflected it back as she stepped up beside him. Her eyes seeming to flare with a rage that was unable to restrain itself deep inside of her.

Quite suddenly, she was joining the duel to even out the score. She drew her six cards to begin her turn. She smiled quite malisiously.  
"Since it looks like you want to gang up on people, let's start a new game. I'll step in to make it a double duel."

"Fine then, it's your move. Not like a simpleton girl like you can do any harm to me!" Titan smiled evily back at her.

"Really? Try this on for size! I summon Egyptian Puppet Master Moku! When I have him in play, he can immitate the attack of any monster on the feild. I will play Brother's Bond and for one turn, I can summon Moku's brother Egyptian High Preist Seto! Come forth!"

Moku made a whimper sound and they spotted him, hiding behind Haruka until Seto came out. He looked like a little Mokuba Kaiba and the preist looked like a younger Seto.

"Oh? They don't scare me. But that deck does look familiar."

"Oh, really, Titan?" Her voice seemed to become more threatening. "When I put Brother's Bond into the graveyard, guess what? The Egyptian Puppet Master and High Preist will blow away two thousand of your life points. How do you like that, you Shadow Rider?"

There was an explosion as Seto and Moku sent their magic intwinning towards him, seeming to spin way out of control. Seto silently waved to Moku.

"And it doesn't end there! When the High Preist is done attacking, he is sent back to my hand and I gain all the life points you just lost! And, if I'm in a double duel, half of my life points go to my partner. I will now place three cards face down, and this monster in defense mode. I think I've tourtured you enough for my turn." She didn't seem like Haruka from before, she seemed like a deamon on a rampage, ready to kill everything that got in her way.

Titan was about to draw whenAmnel stopped him. "Sir?"

"Haruka has released Expiriment 7734, she's no longer Haruka Tenoh." Amnel sounded happy beneath his mask and hood, his yellowy eyes glimmering with joy. "Haruka doesn't exsist anymore, does she?"

"True there." Haruka's eyes were no longer their deep blue, they were blood red and they didn't glimmer, like there was no soul. "So that means, there's absolutely nothing to be gained from winning against me. But now that you put it that way, if your name is Amnel, why don't we have a Shadow Game? It'd be fun to see how long you'll last against me in an old game."

"New face, same old, same old." Amnel's voice portrayed a smirk. "Set the rules up and this duel will be determined by the outcome of this game. If I win, I want you to give me Duelist Academy and your hand in releasing the sacred beasts."

"If _I_ win, you will give me back the souls you stole during the past duels. Meaning Zane, Jaden, Vellian, Chazz, Alexis, and Bastion must be returned to their human bodies, but also, I want you to become _my_ shadow slave." Haruka's eyes shimmered for a moment and then faded again. "I say we play the game called Beat Me." She saw the confusion on his face and then smiled."It works like this; We both summon monsters. Whichever one is stronger and can defeat the opposing monster with ease, they win that round. However, there is a catch. If the game is tied, we, as in me and you, are to battle it out with Shadow Magic. Whomever wins also wins what they require. But I could care less if you _did_ take me to unleash the beasts." She looked carelessly over at Lyman, who was down on his knees. "For all I could care, you could shoot me. Besides, I know I can't lose against someone who doesn't even have a human heart to begin with."

"Then I shall raise my steaks. In exchage for my win, I want Duel Academy, your help, and some information from you." Amnel walked up to her and held out his hand. "Do we have an accord?"

"Yes."

They shook hands. Thus began an old shadow game with new monsters, new faces, and an old tale to be told.


	11. The Shadow Game Pt 2

(**a/n**: look, look, look! i suck _tear_ but, the good news is, i think i finally figured out what a mary sue is _cry_ it took me this long to figure it out wah... i really do suck _weak smile_ i will say this, though, i got a crazy idea from watching a buncha white pigeons at a park... on how to end this shadow game anyhow, so, you'll find out soon enough... _prepares herself for the world of hurt for her big mistake_) _oh, one last thing, there's name calling and strange insults in this chapter... ONWARD!_

* * *

---_The Shadow Realm_---

"You can't be Amnel!" Banner was still baffled at the name this person had said. The nerve! He knew who Amnel was and _this_ person certainly _was NOT_ Amnel!

"Well, that's true, because _your_ Amnel." He laughed at Banner, who took a step back. "Yes, run away scared like you did before. Suprised I'm working with no strings attatched like you?" His laugh became more and more menacing.

"Hey! Butt-face! I'm your opponent! So keep your eyes open!" Haruka's monster threw itself forward and was just a blur of green and silver. "You want to loose, keep it up!"

"You are simply stalling for time." "Amnel" said, jumping out of the way of the attack and landing on a ledge that his monster created. "I _refuse_ to loose to a girl! I swear, the things you girls think you can do... it's WAY to advanced for a whimpy girl to understand! I want you to tell me, is Haruka your real name? Or is it just the name they gave you to use and trample on?"

"No! My name is Hell! The place called Hell is a firey pit where the evil do their time and the good bid the evil in their souls farewell. The firey depths of this place I am named for are the simple places and things I haven't done, however, I do require my lighter, more gentle half to control my power. To bad he's dead! Millenium Celtic Guardian! Attack him with your Silver Song!"

A silver flash and an elf with very pointy ears (left one pierced with a black pearl ear ring), a long green trench coat that was torn like it'd seen battle for many years,blond locks that were tied back into a tight, single braid that ran down his back, a silver sword that was rediculusly huge, nearly four times his size and as thick as a hand from finger to heel. His eyes were yellowy gold and the Silver Song was the ringing of his blade after he'd stuck the flesh of "Amnel".

"Cheap shot!"

"In a Shadow Game, there are no 'cheap shots', Amnel! There's only who can be quicker on their feet, who has the mental stability to communicate with any monster in their decks. The rules of this game were taught to me when I was still a young girl. The information was forced into my brain. Don't be fooled, I've got a complex mind that can earn you a one way ticket to Hell." Her eyes flashed with truth. '_If only I could have seen Lyman before I died._'

"Not quite!" There was a flash of bright blue light that shimmered green...

---_flashback_---

She felt the whole world seemingly float up around her and she felt weightless, almost like she was air. She felt the cold plastic in the freezing air that she was susspended in. She didn't know how she'd gotten into this cold place or why she required a mask. She shiftend and felt wires tighten around her arms and legs and felt the needles pricking her skin. She winced and let out a yelp and felt bubbles of air float past her.

Realization hit her. She was in a test tube. But where were the lights? Why was she in freezing cold water like this? What had happened to her before she'd come here? Was this the end of her life? Would she ever remember what had happened to her? Or would she forget it with the expiriments and tourture she often heard about in all those stories?

A flash ofblue light and the world was illuminated around her and she saw it through the freezing cold, green tinted liquid she was susspended in. She was only four-years-old and she was amazed at everything around her. The liquid was emptying and she could see a man standing there, his white robes stained with the blue light. Her hand touched the cold glass as he had it lifted away.

She welcomed the warmth of the world once more, glad she was no longer frozen.

And then it was a nightmare, a blade dripping with blood was in her hand, she was hugging a teddy bear, she was holding a gun, she was setting off the Shadow Realm, she was being tourtured, she met and killed Lyman with poison, she was breaking glass and slashing someone with it...

---_end flashback_---

"YOUR NOT AMNEL!" Haruka says it so suddenly as her eyes flash blue again and a tear falls down the right half of her face, the one that the Duelist Academy students could see. They had been consumed by the Shadow Realm and hadn't been hurt by the blasts of the impact from the monsters.

"Beg your pardon? Last time I checked, I told you so... are you really that dumb, baka?" he asked, looking like something out of a horror movie made for kiddies. He was pointing at her when he asked this, and his finger twitched like he was suprised she'd just noticed what he'd said nearly twenty minutes prior.

"I _know_ your not Amnel because Amnel was Lyman! Lyman had taken the name of the scientist _I_ killed because he was a clone of him! Lyman named his clone Amnel! I remember! He asked me whatthe clone should be named!I remember it clearly!"

"Lyman is a dead man because of us!" It was Haruka and 7734's voices, intwined like two souls. "We killed him! Amnel ran away after that!"

7734's voice came out strong. "He was the only thing that kept us from destroying ourselves and the entire world the one time it was released! The Shadow Games were being put to shame by the evil spirit of the Millenium Ring! That was the last time young Haruka ever used her powers! She was only four when Seto and Mokuba were adopted! She is a clone!"

"Amnel" stared at them. "Have you gone nuts? There's a guy and a girl speaking and it makes no sense! You guys are saying the same thing over and over."

7734's fist connected with "Amnel"s jaw, knocking him back. "I'm not letting you take away what Lyman loves! I will fight you for his precious Delist Academy! I don't care if it takes my life!"

* * *

_crying_ that took me to long to finish! i'm sorry! _cry_ i wasn't expecting it to take me that long to finish this chapter! _bows in apology_ i'm sorry for keeping my fans in suspence _crying and smiling_ but i finished it, so, i'm somewhat happy... _cry_


	12. The Shadow Game Pt 3

(a/n: I'M ON A ROLL! _isn't acctually "on a roll" is just in the mood to write more_ well, sorta... _swetdrop_ but, i am trying to finish this story because i have an RK fic i never finished _crying because she forgot about that one_ but, i've got the grand finale in my head, how it'll end, anyhow)

* * *

---_Shadow Realm_--- 

"I refuse to loose now! I know what Lyman loves most of all in this world, and that's dueling! He wants this academy to be safe and he'll go to any extreme to save it, so I will, too." Her voice was soft and serene as another tear found it's way down her right cheek. "I am Expiriment 7734! I fell in love and I will risk my own life to save the thing that the person I love cares most about! This is all I've been waiting for! I won't let you destroy Lyman's dreams! His heart... or his soul. I won't let you crush what little he has left. I am also the one who can weld each Key together! I can open the seven gates with ease! You want those beasts? GO THROUGH ME FIRST!"

Banner stared at 7734's back in amazment. How did this girl know his name? His real name at that! He suddenly felt his chest tighten as he hear her words ring true. He would risk his life to save this academy... but he also loved this girl who called herself 7734, Expiriment Hell. He felt it tighten even more as she flew past him, Millenium Celtic Guardian protecting her from the fall. It took him a moment, but he finally whirrled around to see her and Celtic Guardian, she rising to her feet, not done with this "Amnel" fake just yet. He saw that look in her eyes and his own eyes widened.

---_flashback_---

"No! Stop it! Your going to kill him!"

"He's already dying, Amnel!"

"No! 7734! Stop!"

The gun went off and Amnel fell to one knee, his long, white hair falling from it's broken string that usually held it up. He saw blood coming from his arm and he could no longer stop 7734 from shooting Professor Banner. He looked up at her serenely soft face and saw it.

One eye was blue the other was red. Her eyes gave her an air of distinct evil and kindness. It was almost like she was two people at once. She raised the gun and Professor Banner lowered his own gun.

"You wanna shoot me? Shoot me."Professor Banner put the gun on the table beside him and lowered his arms so they dangled at his sides. "But, I'd perfer it that you not shoot me in front of Amnel. I adore him like my son and it's almost time for me to merge with him. If you wish to kill me, do it without the violence it requires." He stepped closer and she pulled the hammer down, her eyes growing cold. "I know what you seek, 7734. I can't help you find love, only you can..."

"Then let me kill you with poison, sir."

"Please, call me Lyman. And you may as well start calling Amnel that as well."

"Sorry, Lyman." She dropped the gun and it went off, shooting her in the leg.

---_end flashback_---

She was going to kill...

Celtic Guardian lay there, his eyes closed, groaning, as blood pooled beneath him. 7734's eyes consisted of the right being blue and the left being red, just like before. She slowly began to walk forward, her trench coat sweeping out to reveal the scar from the bullet on her leg and the markings of a whip around her upper arms and the scars and cuts she hid beneath the jeans.

"So, you want to fight me with Shadow Magic, is that it?"

"Far from it, old man." She raised her hand and summoned forth her Egyptian Puppet Master Mokuba, and Egyptian High Preist Seto. "I have many more monsters to kill off all of yours! I'll show you the meaning of 'crypt keeper of the shadow's summons'!" There stood Egyptian Theif Bakura, Egyptian Wiseman Million, Egyptian Pharaoh Atem, Wise Egyptian Advisor Shadii, and Egyptian Tomb Keeper Ra. "The seven Millennium Items shall be restored by the time I'm done with you!"

"Hate to burst your bubble, but I only see six. The Ring, Key, Rod, Puzzel, Eye, and Scale. I don't see no Necklace, girly."

"Look again." She pointed at Egyptian Puppet Master Mokuba.

It shimmered around the boy's neck. He stood beside his brother, holding Seto's hand and looking utterly scared of this "Amnel".

"Aw! I'm running out of pure spite! He's not scary."

"Tell me, what's your name?" It was Haruka's voice. She wiped away her tears and stood firm, as if she'd made up her mind on something very important. "I want to know. Did you know me when I was a human girl? Did you know me when I still had a human soul?"

He fell scilent. "If I knew you, I don't remember you. Maybe I'll tell you my name." He reached up and pulled down his hood. Golden locks fell down his back. "But you look so much like my late wife." The mask came off and Amnel was revealed. His smooth, pale skin seemed to give him the air of an elf. His eyes were teal colored. "She had black hair and had soft blue eyes. My name is Yasgiloth Tenoh. I don't think your related to me if your last name is 'Kaiba', Haruka." He smiled innocently. "I'm sure there's a reason you are here, but there's no way of knowing how you got to this point or how you managed this long, but there is such thing as being in a place for a reason. Do you see the bigger picture?"

"No."

"Ah, just like you mean nothing, you think everything is the same..."

"Same?"

"Everything is not the same. Clones are not identical to the original. Twins aren't exactly the same. Memories can be copied but not be as strong as the original. In another dimention, you may already be dead, so you see death, but it's still not the same thing. Seeing things is not the same as experiencing them. You are not someone else unless you have strong memories of being that person... Do you understand?"

"Y... no..."

He shook his head. "I look like an elf, yes?"

"...yeah?"

"I'm not. I'm only young because I've cast magic on myself. Understand?"

"... sorry, I'm simple-minded... I don't understand..." 7734 scratched her head with her right hand. "So I can be someone and know I'm someone else?... I don't get it, sorry."

He almost fell over in shock. "Erm, just forget it. So, erm, you gonna fight me?"

She socked him in the face squarely. "DON'T CHANGE THE SUBJECT! What the f--- did you mean?" she asked, shaking him like crazy, seemingly knocking his head off.

"Then I suppose we should finish this..." He blew her back with a blast of energy. "If you really are Expiriment 7734, you should be able to kill me with one finger. I remember Professor Lyman Banner saying something about a great force he made by mistake... I suppose your numbers are what he was trying to say before he had to hang up the phone... C'MON! KILL ME, YOU BRAT!"

She twitched. "B-brat?" She suddenly picked up one of the larger monsters she had and, by hand, threw it at him, a blast of shadow magic blowing him back. "Who ya callin' a brat, you sicko?" She blasted him back, her hands becoming blurs as she repeatedly punched him. "You want Duelist Academy for your own sick perpouses! You want my help to unleash the sacred beasts for your master Amnel! You want to destroy this world! What is _wrong_ with you Shadow Riders? You got a crack in your skull somewhere? Or are you mentally insane? This place is a place of salvation for those with dueling skills! I can't just let you take that away! Not to mention this is Lyman's dream! His dream! I won't let you kill that dream! I swore I'd keep that smile on Lyman's face! And that's a promise I'm going to keep!"

BOOM!

The explosion of Shadow Magic Vs. Shadow Magic shook the earth.

---_flashback_---

"Lookie, lookie, lookie!" Haruka tugged on Lyman's coat tail and pointed at a shooting star. Amnel and Lyman looked. Haruka was only twelve, but the slightes things entertained her. She smiled warmly.

"Ah! Amnel, Haruka, make a wish!" Lyman said this as he made a wish.

"Do I say what my wish is?" Amnel asked so pleasently.

"I wished for a day when Haruka and Amnel will find happiness. It's not like a birthday wish, Amnel, it's ok to tell if you want to." Lyman smiled as his pet kitten came over. "Ah! Pharaoh, there you are!" He smiled.

"I wished for a loved one who has a heart full of kindness and joy to come and sweep me away to her world." Amnel sighed and looked down-hearted. "But, that's never going to happen."

"I wished to see Lyman and Amnel smile for ever and ever and ever and ever!" Haruka suddenly ran ahead with Pharaoh. She took a running leap and lept over a hedge and landed in the fountain near the hedge. "Wah! I got Pharaoh wet! I'm sorry, Pharaoh!" She smiled at Lyman and Amnel. "I know! I'll make it a promise! I promise to protect Lyman and Amnel's smiles!" She laughed merrily, not knowing that that day she would never see Lyman again...

---_end flashback_---

Banner stared at the dust as it began to clear away. Was that really her? Was that the same girl who made a promise she couldn't keep? Was that really the girl who made him feel happy? No, it couldn't be, because the memories of before he was given the soul of the Professor, he was always with a girl who had sterling blue eyes, but that promise...

"I made a promise! I plan on keeping that promise to Amnel! To Lyman!" She said, rising to her feet as the dust and smoke cleared away, dustingoff her jeans."I made a promise I couldn't keep back then. But I will keep it to the man named Lyman Banner! I made a promise to him! A promise to someone I loved! But with these hands, I _killed_ the one I loved. With these hands, I poisoned him in his sleep. But I hadn't know that his soul lived on like so." She lifted her left hand to reveal the bare flesh. Her eyes were crying, both Haruka and 7734 were crying. Both of their voices came out. "I killed the man I loved when I was a girl. I won't fogive someone who tries to destroy Lyman's favorite thing in the whole world. Lyman and Amnel. Two men I will never forget won't have a reason to cry!"

Her hand came down and an explosion went off. The blast cracked the air and there was the sound of flesh being torn. It was almost as if the whole of the world was being crushed in an instant...


	13. The Begining of An End

(a/n: i think the shadow games should be wrapped up in this chapter. this is going to be the big finale and the explination chapter, so it'll be kinda long _smile_ so, i think i'll just let you read it _smiles bigger_)

* * *

---_Shadow Realm_---

The dust and smoke was clearing away. The tears kept falling on Haruka and 7734's faces. They were crying out of pain and sorrow. Both of them wanted peace and freedom from the pain they were suffering from their unknown memories.

"Tell me something..." Yasgiloth stood up, his right forearm gone as Haruka and 7734 began to bleed from their left knee.

"What?"

"Does this 'Lyman' character know your feelings for him?"

She looked away. "No. He doesn't even acknoledge me most times. I am his student after all. There's no way I can be anything to him because I'm sure I mean nothing to him. But you are wrong, Yasgiloth." She looked over her shoulder at Jaden and a smile crept onto her face and she closed her eyes '_That's right. Jaden can handle this problem, even without me._' She turned back to Yasgiloth, her eyes stern. "There is another way to see if all these things your telling me is true."

Egyptian Puppet Master Mokuba walked forward. He looked back at his brother, who smiled encouragingly. He walked up to Yasgiloth and held out his hand.

"What is this?"

"Take his hand." Haruka sounded like she'd lost. "There's something I need to show all of you. But you are the only one I can share my powers with. There's a memory that rings true in my life. It's the only one I can remember clearly and I want to know if you know who someone is." She was talking mostly to Jaden. "I don't know how well I can do this, but you can help me, Jaden Yuki. You, your friends, your enemies, all of them, can help me if they can name the man in my memory." She reached out as Yasgiloth took Mokuba's hand. She touched Jaden's hand and everything seemed to melt into a mesh of colors.

---_Haruka and 7734's memory_---

Little 7734 was helping Amnel put Lyman Banner's body into a coffin. The body was still clothed in his science attire and Amnel had tears cascading down his face. He kept fixing his glasses as if he was trying to conseal some tears that he didn't want to let loose.

"Haruka?"

"Go away." 7734 sat in the corner, her shoulders shaking. "I-it wasn't my fault."

"Haruka!" He grabbed her shoulder and turned her around. "I'll take all that pain away, don't worry."

"I already don't remember you. Go away! Go... away."

Time seemed to pass quickly and Haruka was back and her face was stern. She stared at the coffin propped up on the wall. She looked stern and completly different. She slowly turned on her heel and the skirt she wore revealed scars and wounds that hadn't healed. She was letting them bleed. Her hair was long and was clumped together by dried blood. There was a gash across her left cheek, a fresh one that would mysteriously disappear later in her life. She wore an old white scientist jacket that was bloody, just like her legs, arms and face were. She was standing over a console and was staring down at the keys. "What am I doing here? Where is here?" She looked around her. "Why am I so battered?"

"You, you are Haruka Tenoh Kaiba."

"Who's there?" She whirrled around, her long hair sweeping out and she stared at a shadow that was blocking the entrance/exit. "What do you want?" she asked lightly. "If your looking for someone, it might not be me. I know about an abandon dorm above me. The students there disappeared misteriously. If your looking for an answer, I don't have it." She turned back to the consol.

"Your name is Haruka Tenoh Kaiba. You should take Kaiba Corperations for yourself. You have more potential than Seto or Mokuba have. I can give you a deck that will beat them both. I can give you a life that will bring about a beautiful age of Kaiba Corperations!"

"Not interested."

"Oh? You will be when I finish with you!" He lunged forward and the streak of grey hair, red suite, and evil eyes flashed for a moment before everything turned black.

---_Shadow Realm_---

7734 fell to one knee and she was gasping for breath as her eyes seemed to fog with frustration. She slammed her fist into the ground and caused a crack that sent a shock through the ground. "Who the f--- was that?" she yelled in agrivation and frustration. "Tell me, do you know?"

Jaden sighed and thought carefully. "I read about a guy named Gozoburo Kaiba. It was during my history class. I skipped around in my text book and found this _whole_ section on Kaiba Corperation's history. He did have a picture, that guy looked awfly a lot like Gozoburo. Is that the only memory you have?"

"Yeah."

"You suck."

"Urk! Gee! Thanks!" Haruka looked a little irritated, but her eyes were blue. She suddenly looked a little shy as she muttered something about just knowing she had other things she promised and had to do.

"Jaden..." It was Banner. He looked a little angry.

"P-prof?"

"YOU IGNORED MY LESSONS? Why? You skipped the whole Kaiba Corperation lesson, didn't you? You failed the test the first time and then aced it because you read the section _after_ the test? Why do you torment me like this?" Banner hadthat 'I hate everything about you' look.

"Er, prof?"

"Yes?" Banner asked, sounding defeated as he dropped his head and let his arms hang limp for a while.

"This _really_ isn't the time for this!" Jaden and Bastion lunged at him, knocking him down as a blast of lightning went past. Bastion sighed and shook his head. "This is getting out of hand! They aren't paying any mind to us! We need to get out of here!"

"Good idea! Question on that matter!" Jaden had to yell to be heard over the roar of monsters fighting, yells of pain as they dissappeared, clashing of bombs, and the clash of two powers.

"What?"

"How do we do that?"

Zane ran past with Syrus under his arm and slammed his free fist into a wall that cracked to reveal the safety of reality. "Just punching it isn't always the best way, but it's probably the only way out! Now go!" Zane threw Syrus through and helped Bastion and Jaden through.

Banner was the last one. He stopped and looked over his shoulder at her. He knew the battle was ending and he saw her tears. He didn't want this much to happen. This was to much. As the leader of the Shadow Riders, he didn't want to send her, the only one he loved, to her grave like this. He looked at Zane's outstretched hand and back at Haruka's back as she fended off several blasts and back to the comfort of Duelist Academy. He made up his mind and turned around and ran towards Haruka.

'_I love her. I really do. I can't just let her die alone!_'

A blast that cracked and shook the air found it's way onto Haruka's back. She gasped and her red and blue eyes widened as her pupils shrank. She was spewing blood from her mouth and she looked as if she were an angelic dancer dancing on the floor ofthe water's depths. She slowly staggared back and then the monsters of her's ran to her side, cradeling her to the ground.

Banner felt like his heart was torn out of his chest for a moment and he lunged forward and set off one of his Alchemy Beasts and picked Haruka up in his arms. He felt the warmth of blood trickling down his arm from the wound on her back. The visions of the angel was fading away as she smiled warmly at him.

"Lyman?"

"Please, don't talk just yet. Let me take you back to Duelist Academy, please."

She shook her head. "I can't go back now. I can't change what's been done. I have to keep my promise to you, the one I could never keep as a child." She reached up and touched his cheek. "Let me keep that smile on your face, let me see you happy for once in your life, let all your cares just drift away into space and vanish like the never ending sky of blue vanishes to the black of night. I want you to smile for the rest of your life, even if it costs me mine. Please, Lyman, smile for me before I go? Just once, let me love the man I killed, so I can be at peace?"

"Yes." Banner gave her a sweet, serene smile and leaned down, his hair falling around her and him.

"They're so cuuute!" Bastion said sorrowfully. "It's so romantic! A promise revived... a love sparked... and pasion ignited! It's like something out of a fairy tale."

"Only this fairy tale is about to collapse around them." Zane pointed. "She's about to give her life up to her monsters that she cared for and for the man she loved. This is no fairy tale 'happily ever after', it's more of a horrific 'and then they parted' sort of ending."

"Still, you have to admit, that's kinda sweet." Jaden smiled. "Hey! Ya never know! They may get a second chance if she makes it out alive."

Banner's lips parted from Haruka's and her eyes slid open to watch his smile.

"Look, Haruka, he's smiling again. Let's keep it that way for him." 7734 slowly got to her feet, staggaring back and forth, trying to get a steady base. "Yasgiloth! My name, my human name, the name I've had since I was little, the name of your daughter, Haruka Tenoh! The Distant Lord of the Heavens! The name of your father and of your daughter! Please, I beg of you, father, let us live! Don't give us away again! Not again!" Tears streaked down 7734's face and Haruka's as he sent his monsters after her. Her monsters stood up in a barricade, but she simply raised her hand. "No. There is a way to stop this fight. It will cost me more wounds, but I will do everything in my power to bring you down, down to Earth, down to where there is someone waiting for your gentle warmth. Father! Yasgiloth! I will bring you down! Take it with all you've got!"

She threw her hands forward and thrust out all the energy she had. It sent back several huge spikes as it went. One of them blew clean through Haruka's leg and she simply stood her ground. A shard of something silver came blasting back and caught her in the eye and she fell back. She saw, through her good eye, Banner climbing through the clear white opening, a tear falling down his cheek as he held onto Haruka's gift to him.

This was it. If this didn't work, Haruka would have lost both her father, her life, and her beloved. She sighed and closed her eyes as she applyed preasure to her wounded eye. She would never know that that was 7734's eye until it was to late. She lay there, cold creeping through her bones and her body. She thought of death and knew that the one that she'd seen shot was her, she was about to experience that exact same thing that the person had felt. She slowly got to her feet once more and she looked up at the never ending abyss of the Shadow Realm and smiled.

'_Ah... So this is the end, is it? This is the place I'll die in. I'll die in the dark, die all alone._'

'**No. Not alone. I'm still here. We've found the missing link. We've discovered our memories. This isn't the end, at least, not alone.**'

'_This world has seen enough darkness. We shouldn't give it more, 7734. I wish there was a way to escape this Shadow Realm and find that light again._'

'**I can only control the Shadow Realm while we're consious. Once we're out, we're out. Don't worry, I'm sure you'll make it.**'

'_But... what about you?_'

'**I see no reason to interfere anymore. I've done my job. My job was to keep that promise to Lyman and Amnel. I did.**'

'_You made a promise? Another one?_'

'**Yes. I promised Amnel that I'd keep his smile on his face. I promised Lyman to love the one I love with all the power I can, to protect that heart that has been beating for someone they long for and love, so I protected Amnel. I have served my perpous in this life... now it's your turn. Take care of yourself and never forget the light of day and the warmth of his heart.**'

The blast sent her flying out the crack and smashing into the wall. She groaned and fell to the ground, the Shadow Realm dissappearing into nothingness. Yasgiloth stood there, his whole body frozen, not even a breath entering his soul. His eyes were dead and his body growing cold.

Banner felt his heart racing as Haruka slowly began to fall down the stairs. She was stopped by Bastion and Jaden. The two of them hoisted the girl up onto their shoulders and carefully dragged her back up the half of the stairs she'd fallen. Jaden looked at Banner and smiled. "She's alive!"

Banner's heart began to slow. '_Thank goodness!_' He looked down at the gift she'd given him and smiled. He opened his hand to reveal a sterling silver pendant in the shape of an alchemy circle with a braided chain of sterling silver. In the center of the circle was a beautiful pink sapphire. The whole thing shimmered brightly in the soft glow of the lights above. '_So I won't have to live alone forever, just until she's back on her feet._'

"HARUKA!" It was Yasgiloth. He lunged forward and nailed the unconsious girl face down on the metalic steps. He slammed his fist into her back shoulder. She rolled over and he pounded into her face. He repeated this treatment over and over, smothering her blood all over his hands. "You bastard! You witch! I hate you! I hate you! I--!"

"It's rude to hit a lady." Bastion held Yasgiloth's hand steady. His strength was consealed and he was holding Yasgiloth from harming Haruka. "She's suffered enough. Don't harm her again."

"Papa..." Haruka was reaching up and her hand touched Yasgiloth's face and he gasped. "...I remember you, papa. Papa. I love you, papa." She fainted as a loss of blood.

Yasgiloth's eyes remained dead and he just fell back into Bastion. "She's alive... Take care of her, all of you, please?" His question just lingered in the air and he stared at the ceiling. "She's got a lot of potential. Don't let her die, I beg you."

"She won't. I'll make sure of that." Banner stood behind Bastion. "This duel is over! The Deulist Academy will stand strong! All Shadow Riders will have to stand down!"

This ended the battle and began a new life with a girl who now knew who she was and a man who knew what he wanted.

"This is then end. The end of the end but the begining of something new. This world cannot live without it's end at the begining. The world of peace, trust, and beauty cannot survive without hatred, deceit, and ugly battles. There is no way of having one thing without having it's opposite. One cannot have nothing without having something. One cannot live in a perfect world so one makes due with what one has." (_These were words I discovered to be true, so hee hee!_)


	14. The End of Her Time

(a/n: you know what? i don't think i deserve praise _weep_ i suck, just admit it!_smile_ but! there's something good from all of this! i discovered a new term that i didn't know about! _gloomy_ but i learned the hard way, just like always. i would like to thank you guys for telling me how ya feel! oh, and Haruka is about to explain a lot of questions in this chapter because she's still alive _weak smile as she continues the end_)

* * *

---_Hospital Ward_---

Haruka's eyes slid open and she looked around. The soft white pillow and bed seemed to be made of heaven's clouds and the sheets were whispy and comforting and seemed to glow in the soft sunlight that came through the open window. She turned to look at the warm, sunny sky outside.

She suddenly felt something shift on the end of her bed. She looked and sighed, a smile creeping onto her face as she watched Pharaoh come crawling up her bed to lie beside her. She wormed her arm out and began to pet him, as he was the only companion in the room that she had been resting in for a while.

She suddenly sat up and looked around her. She was wearing the hospital cloths that patients wore and she had flowers everywhere, along with candy, teddy bears, ballons, cards, and even some gifts. She stared in awe at all the gifts that were left there. She cocked her head to the side as she saw a card adressed to her from Seto Kaiba, along with a small box about the size of a standard 40 card deck. She reached over and opened the card...

---_Duel Academy Courtyard_---

"So she's really awake?" Jaden asked, flipping through his cards.

"Yeah, and she remembers!" Chummley said, throwing his arms in the air. "Hey! Ya think I can eat lunch with her one of these days?" Chummley asked this eagerly wating praise to his courage to ask a brave, beautiful girl to eat lunch with him.

"Good luck with that!" Syrus smiled. "I don't think she'd say yes! After all, you saw Professor Banner and Haruka kiss each other! Besides! They're perfect together. It sparked Zane into asking Alexis out. Not to mention it sparked Chazz to go after his crush, Mizu Hashimaru! She's another pretty girl. Suprising thing is, she's a first year Obelisk Blue." Syrus pointed to Mizu.

Mizu was a pretty brunet who was sitting by herself out in the hot sun writing something on her note pad. She had beautiful green eyes and a perfect figure and body measurements. She wasn't to ugly, but she wasn't to beautiful either. She was an excelent writer and loved to write out her stratagies in fine detail. She sighed and looked up at the bright sky.

---_A few weeks later_---

"Hurry up! If we don't hurry, we might miss it! C'mon! The fireworks'll go off and you won't be there!" Jaden tugged on Syrus' arm. "Besides, we get to see Zane and Alexis get all smoochie! Eh?"

Banner and Haruka went walking past. Haruka was walking a little behind Banner, her head bowed, looking utterly nervous. She suddenly spotted Syrus and Jaden. She waved, a bright smile spreading across her face and giving her that air of a kind-hearted angel or a soft, warm, serene summer day. Banner sighed and kept walking, Pharaoh hopping into his arms.

"Poor Pharaoh. I didn't mean to ignore you like that, but this was kind of important this time." He hugged Pharaoh tight. "I'm terribly sorry! Please forgive me, Pharaoh!"

"You used to do that a lot to him, you know?" Haruka pointed at Banner and Pharaoh. "Amnel would always ignore Pharaoh when Lyman got weaker. I remember, the poison acctually triggered a strange virus that began to eat Lyman from the inside out." Haruka smiled. "But, I also remember the few days we had where we all enjoyed each other's presence. Ah!"

The fireworks were going off not to far away and Haruka and Syrus smiled brightly. Mizu came up beside Jaden and sighed, her usual soft, rarely-heard-voice sigh that she always did when she saw something to comment on.

"And thus, those who see the world cannot always see the one's that follow. The bell tolls on life, but the begining will begin at the end of the tale. A mystery is only as beautiful as a moth in the night sky, flying high beneath the moon." Mizu smiled. "Love can fly away and never return, but when the bell of life rings true, love comes to the worthy and rains down upon their heads like the cold liquid the sky pours down."

"I like it when she talks like that." Jaden pointed atMizu. "She's always so cool! It's like everything she says is a riddle! To bad Chazz may miss his chance."

Mizu sighed and twiddled her fingers through her brown hair and looked around at Banner. "Well, there is nothing saying love will always make sense, since it never did to begin with. Life, love, learning, things we must aquire to be whole." She walked off.

Haruka suddenly turned around and waved her arm in the air, laughing. "C'mon! The fireworks started! Let's go! Time won't stand still, ya know!" She closed her eyes and twirrled around as the fireworks went off and seemed to shower the world in sparkles.

Banner turned away and covered his nose and mouth. He had a bloody nose but managed to straighten himself as he walked forward. Mizu looked over her shoulder. "No time like the present to learn."

---_A few hours later, Duelist Academy Festival_---

Banner stood there with Pharaoh as Jaden, Syrus, and Chummley went to buy Caramel Apples that some of the Ra girls had made. He stared down at Pharaoh as Mizu came up beside him. "Here." She handed him a note and looked at him. "Do not read it just yet. Read it after the festival." She turned on her heel and walked away.

"Ok?" Banner stared at the black paper and stuck it in his breast pocket. He felt a tug on his sleeve. "Hm?" He looked down at Chazz, who looked embarassed. "Is something wrong?"

"How..."

"Yes?"

"Howdoyougetagirltolikeyouifshe'syoungerthanyou?"

"Pardon?" Banner was baffled. "I know your embarrassed to be asking a teacher this, but there's nothing to be ashamed of! I may not be an Obelisk teacher, but I don't think that will make a differance. Take your time, I can be of assitance if you let me understand you." Banner smiled.

"Ahem. How do you get a girl to talk to you if she's younger than you?"

"I would try to see what she's into first!" Haruka said from behind Banner. "Every girl thinks it's kinda sweet when a guy talks to her first. Oh! And don't start bragging about things. That just makes most girls feel like their second-rate. Be kind to her, don't just go running up to her and shoving things in her face! That's just plain rude! And it usually get you a slap across the face." Haruka smiled as she poked her head out from behind Banner. "Another thing, don't start talking to yourself or mummbling. Chazz?"

"Y-yes?"

"Don't fret. Be yourself. I'm sure she'll love it! I know Mizu, she hates guys who put up an act to be cooler than other guys. She likes guys who are... well... guys!" She smiled happily. Chazz took off. "What?"

"I didn't know that's how you thought of it." Banner stared at Chazz's back. "Am I really everything you want?"

"If you can define 'perfect' in _your_ dictionary, then I'll think about it." She smiled and held up cotton candy in his face. "Want some? It's sugary and good!"

"Er... you didn't bite off of it, did you?"

Jaden stared. "I want a lover now. That looks like fun, having someone you care about. I know! Chummley! Go ask her!"

"No!" He hid behind the caramel apples and his arms. "I'm to embarrassed! She's so cute! Damn, if only I had as much courage as she did..."

"You did!"

"No I didn't!"

Banner and Haruka were fighting with smiles on their faces. She just shoved it into his mouth and he stared at her and smiled.

Chummley suddenly ran up to her and grabbed her sleeve. "Would you eat lunch with me tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow? Hm? Tomorrow... tomorrow... hm..." She looked at Chummley. "Sure!" She smiled. "Kaiba Corperation has recruited me to keep an eye on the stocks and stuff for them, so, I'm going to be leaving tomorrow at around six. I'll have time to eat lunch with you!" She hugged him lightly. "Your a really brave kid for asking me like that. That was very polite!" She looked at Banner. "Looks like we're eating breakfast together after all."

He shrugged and walked off.

"Hey! Wah, he's ignoring me again! Gee, don't need to be mean. Cotton candy?" She held it out to Chummley. "I bought it, but it looks like Lyman doesn't like cotton candy."

---_Outside_---

"I can't keep this up, Pharaoh." Banner set his cat down near the ocean's water. "I mean, I love her and all, but this is kind of akward. She is, after all, a Homonculus like me, but I don't think I can handle being her lover like this all the time, especially with all the confusion of the unanswered questions. Do you think I'm really fit to love someone like her?"

"Yeah." It was Chazz. "She's in love! It's kinda rude to just abandon her in there."

"Chazz?"

"I discovered something today when I talked to Mizu. She told me something that I didn't even think about. She said; 'When the world is at war and the one you love has been caught in the middle, would you rather watch them die? Or would you continue to fight without even a second glance at them? If you answer this truthfully, then you will still love them, even if they are the enemy that you fight.' When I thought it over, I thought it reminded me of you and Haruka. Now that she knows her real name, she can't ever forget who she was and what she did. I wish I could have a second chance like her."

Haruka stopped short as she heard them talking. She hid behind a boulder nearby.

"But you did, didn't you?"

"No." Chazz looked up at the stars. "I want to go back and fix what I messed up. Haruka's getting that chance. I guess I am... Mizu definately will give me that chance. But Haruka's gotten to see what she's ruined and she can acctually fix it with mistakes of her own. I was just out here wandering around, thinking, and I realized a lot of things about Haruka and Mizu. The two of them are really a lot alike."

"They are?" Banner stared.

"Yes. Mizu and Haruka bring their own love and beauty to this world in their own way. They both have late fathers and mothers and family that they'll never see again. They both have someone to love them and that they can love. All we need to do is 'lift them up to heaven and let them fly away into the abyss of blue that love created high above', as Mizu would have it." Chazz looked out at the ocean.

Haruka smiled to herself. "Chazz is best for you, isn't he, Mizu?"

"He's down to earth, he's cute, he's a great duelist, of course he is. I just wish I wasn't always so poetic when I talk to him." Mizu's head dropped. "But maybe Zane's got some zest in his romance, eh, Alexis?"

"Ah! Yeah. He's so sweet." Alexis looked like she was in another world. "He's so sweet! He's so kind! So beautiful, handsom, kingly, brave, strong... ah, Zane's perfect."

"She's lost it," Mizu and Haruka said together.

"He's the perfect man for me."

"She's definatly lost it." Haruka put her hands behind her head and leaned against the rock. She looked up at the sky and felt a warmth consume her heart. "I gave Banner a gift he won't have to leave behind at my grave if I die before him."

"Oh lord! You gave him your favorite monster!" Alexis and Mizu said, staring her in the eye.

"Eh heh, heh..." Haruka climbed over the boulder. "You'll never know!" She ran off, Alexis and Mizu chasing after her. "Ah, ha, ha, ha! C'mon, slow poke! C'mere and catch me first! Whoa! Missed." She lunged over Pharaoh and Chazz and splashed into the water, diving in. She popped up a few feet out there. "Wassa matter? 'Fraid of gettin' wet?" She laughed as Alexis and Mizu ran out and dived in.

Chazz and Banner stared as Zane came into view as well and stared. Three girls playing water tackle... in the ocean... at night... with no shoes? and three guys watching...

SPLASH!

In went Chazz and Zane while Banner sat there. He suddenly remembered the note and pulled it out. He flipped it open and saw Haruka's handwriting. It read:

**Dear Lyman,  
I'm sure your probably watching me right now, but don't forget me, ok? There's a reason for the things I've down and the memories I've lost and the man inside of you I love.  
By now, I'm sure you've finally realized that you love me or that I'm not the one your looking for. Either way, I'll still remember you as someone I'll never forget. I just want you to understand that I'm still here, even if we become only friends.  
This festival may be the last chance I'll get to see you.  
You know that pendant I gave you? Yeah, the one around your neck right now, the one with the crystal that hangs beside your Key. That crystal... no, that _pendant_ is a part of me. If you ever want to dream of me when you sleep, put it under your pillow. That was a pendant that I made with my own Shadow Magic. I made it when I was still new here.  
I remember a lot of things now. The thing I remember the most is my _real_ name. It's not Haruka, it's not Hell, it's not Tenoh, and it's not Kaiba. My real name, the name that I had offically was Elysa, sounds like Allysa, and my last name was, not saying it still will be forever, Déesse. I think that's french, but I wouldn't know. I was adopted as a baby into the Tenoh family.  
When our family lost seven of the seinors in less than a week, they didn't have enough money to support children anymore so all the children were sent to adoption centers where we lived for the better part of our childhood. Because of that, by law, I'm the cousin of the biz tycoons, Seto and Mokuba Kaiba. Don't think it's strange or anything.  
Please, no matter what, after today, you will always be my friend and you will always be there to say that you are. I don't really care if you only want to be friends, I still love you.  
So, with no farewell to you for the night, I say to you, through the page, I love you.  
Elysa Déesse  
Ps - vous voir plus tard, l'ami! (Means, see you later, friend!)**

Banner looked up at Haruka and smiled. '_That's right, she's still here, I can still love her._' He got up and walked over to the waters edge. He saw Jaden jump in off a cliff and shook his head. '_I can't be sad or anything like that because it may bring her down. My beloved Elysa._'

"Lyman! Help! Their drowning Haru-- Elysa! Their drowning her!" Alexis was frantic as Zane and Chazz held Elysa beneath the water. "Stop it! Elysa! Elysa! El--Banner?"

He had dove under the water and was pushing Zane and Chazz's feet out from underneath them and they fell forward and crashed into the water as Elysa's head popped up over the water next to Banner's. They both broke into laughter as Chazz and Zane started wrestling in the water. Alexis and Mizu snagged Elysa and started trying to tackle Zane who forced them back and fell again as Jaden came to the surface with his feet.

"Mwahahahahaha! BEAT THAT! WAH!"

Elysa had Jaden's leg and was simply standing on a rock with it. "Ha ha, beat that." She dropped him in. She smiled at Lyman and waved. She suddenly looked shocked when he smiled and waved back. "You read the note? He read the note!"

"Yippie!" Mizu jumped out of the water and onto Elysa's rock. "He read it! Yay! Woah!"

They splashed into the water.

---_The next day, 5:50 pm_---

Elysa sat there, her arms crossed, waiting for the helicopter to come pick her up. She was holding one of Lyman's cards in her hand. She looked at it again. It was Pikeru, the little Pikeru. She smiled and held it close to her heart and whispered it's name to herself, like she'd done countless times in her wait for her ride to her work place. She suddenly heard running footsteps and turned to see Lyman standing there, out of breath, and Pharaoh in one arm as he held the door open with the other.

"Ly-Lyman!" She got up and he ran to her. "What's wrong? Your out of breath! Did you run the whole way here? What's wrong? Did you forget something? Please say something."

"I... I didn't want to leave without telling you something first." He sighed and managed to straighten himself out. "I know you can understand me when I say this, so don't pretend like you don't know. Je vous aime, Elysa."

Her eyes widened. "Y-you do know what you just said, right?"

"Yes. And I'm not taking it back. Not now. Not ever. So, er, what do you think?"

"I think you need work on your 'v's. And guess you copied that from a book. Je vous aime(see end of chapter to see what it means _smile_), Lyman." She stood on tip-toe and kissed him, wrapping her arms around him and holding him close. "Oh! Pharaoh!" She kissed Pharaoh on the head and he meowed. She giggled. "Au revoir, Pharaoh." She petted him and suddenly got a one-armed hug from Lyman. She flushed as the helicopter came into view.

The door slid open and Seto threw a ladder down to her and she grabbed it as she threw her luggage up to the body guard. Lyman smiled while his heart broke once more. He was finally able to love someone before his life was over, and he wouldn't ever foget her.

"Hey! Sleepy-head!"

Lyman started.

"I'll call ya when I get there! Promise!"

"Don' forget!"

"Au revoir!"

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Au revoir - Goodbye  
Je vous aime - I love you  
Déesse - Goddess 


End file.
